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RobinLightwalker — You.Part 2.
Published: 2014-02-06 10:57:26 +0000 UTC; Views: 5796; Favourites: 4; Downloads: 0
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A fullmetal heart.Rain was never a good sign.
It usually meant that something had gone wrong.
But for it to rain on Christmas.......Something must have gone TERRIBLY wrong.
And it had gone terribly wrong.
Edward Elric had died on Christmas surrounded by his family without his family even noticing or realizing what had happened for nearly two whole hours after that they had dinner when he had been completely fine.
And he had died with a smile on his face.
Roy groaned as he put a hand on his head.
Why did they always have such a bad timing?
Last year, they arrived and found Edward laying on the floor, unconscious with a wrench besides him and Alphonse trying to wake him up after that Winry had given him a practically strong throw with her wrench. The wrench had knocked him out cold and had given him a serious concoction and for the entire rest of the day he had been unconscious, not waking up until a week later.
The year before that, the Mustang's had skipped dinner with Hawkeye's family and had decided to have dinner with the Elric's instead. Only to find out that they had just had an early dinner.
But this......This was by far their worst moment when it came of marching through the front door.
They had walked in on the whole family mourning Edward.
Roy sighted. This was not a good day indeed.
Roy opened his tired eyes and looked at everyone in the house.
If it rained on Christmas, it really wasn't a good sign.
But for Ed to be smiling as he left the world?
Those words where on almost everyone's lips when they weren't weaping at the loss of a brother, a father, a husband and an uncle.
- Why is he smiling....?Roy had asked from the table, not wanting to risk walking over to the Elrics, breaking their sanctum.
- We.......We don't.....know.......Alphonse sighted heaviliy and looked at his brother.
- We don't know why he is smiling like he does......We don't know why he is smiling......We don't know........We don't know.......Alphonse answered with a heavy sight and sob.
Roy sighted again and massaged his head, fighting against his worst Edward induced headache in years.
- What kind of......What kind of a father leaves behind a loving wife, a carring brother and four adorable children without even saying anything to them, only leaving behind a smile? Roy asked and then regretted it as the rain returned, but everyone looked at him.
- We have been.......Thinking about it........All evening.......Ever since we found out........Al said shaky. Understandably, he was Edward's brother and the two were almost inseparable.
But now it had happened. They had been seperated.
Roy and Al sighted and slumped back again.
- We.....we think....or at least........some of us......Winry started and looked at her children.
- We think that he smiles because he loved his family. Or atleast.....we did.....but we were his pride, but there is more to him then just pride. Winry said and locked eyes with Maes and Edwin for support.
Riza looked at Mei.
She hadn't even said a word, yet it looked like she was about to burst. Not just from tears and seeing everyone cry.
- Mei.......What is it? Riza asked cautiously and looked at Mei. And that was all that it took.
- This is my might......All of this is my fault.......Mei said quickly and then bursted out into tears.
Alphonse looked up from his palms as he heard his wife cry.
Everyone now looked at her confused and shocked.
- This is all my fault.......I couldn't stop it.......And now.......Now he is gone......AND IT IS ALL BECAUSE OF ME!!!!!!!!ALL BECAUSE I COULDN'T STOP IT!!!!!!!Mei bursted out into tears and fell back onto herself.
Alphonse looked at her as she cried into her dress.
- Stop what? Alphonse asked concerned and confused moments before Winry asked the same question.
- His heart........His whole body......Something had gone wrong........The remains of his......His automail......the remains of his automail had begun corroding in his body and the rust and metal was slowly spreading through his blood. He asked me to try and heal the damaged that had already been done last time he was in Xing.....Mei explained, and all of a sudden, Alphonse hesitated whether or not he should place a supporting hand on his wife's shoulders or not. Winry had frozen.
- I did the best I could.......I did the best that I could......I did my best......yet it wasn't enough. The damaged had already been done.......No matter how much I tried to heal him or how many healed him........We only could.....could prolong it......We couldn't stop the metal from tearing his heart apart and making it slow down.......I couldn't stop it.......No one could........We could only prolong it.........We couldn't stop it......We couldn't stop it........Mei explained in tears through her dress.
The hand came and she looked up and saw Alphonse's honest eyes.
They weren't judging or blaming her.
They were understanding her.
- Automail........Winry broke the silence.
Everyone looked at her.
She was shacking.
- Automail.......My automail............It killed him...........It killed him..........I killed him.........I killed him.......Winry said trembling and then she just broke down into tears, everyone hurrying to her side.
- No Winry......No Winry......You didn't kill him.......You didn't kill him........You didn't.....kill him.....Alphonse said warming and soft, his voice was weak and tired, but it was honest. he slumped down beside her and put her arms over her shoulders.
- But I did........But I did kill him.....Those few bolts that remained in his flesh.......had I ever tried to remove him......he might still be here.........Winry sobbed and she looked at her beloved husband, now gone.
Edwin turned his head from his mother and looked at his father.
A fire in his eye.
Roy noticed it.
- Why are you smiling when mother is crying? Edwin asked sternly. His voice was filled with spite and anger.
Al, Roy, Riza and Winry looked up and looked at Edwin.
That voice, that tone, that was the same voice that Edward had used in his younger years when he had talked about or to Hohenheim.
- Why..........?Edwin had asked and the fire was gone and it was raining again.
- Are you.........Are you.......are you happy because you finally got to leave us.........?Edwin asked under his tears.
And Winry collapsed into her hands and began to cry once again.
Edwin had a dark look in his eyes as he looked at his father sitting so calmly in the chair with the mysterious smile on his lips.
He did not even seem to notice or care that almost everyone had teared up at the possibility that it was true.
Roy looked at Edwin.
Even when crying, the fire seemed to be there, but burning beneath the water.
The thought that hearbreaking. But could it be true?
- Would he........Would he.......Do you think that he would be happy......to leave us behind.......?Trisha had asked and walked past Edwin and put hands on her father's hands resting over the black leather book.
- Would he?......Didn't Maes say it.......That we were his pride and joy? That........That......That......Trisha whimpered through some sobs and tears before she broke down and cried on her father's lap.
Maes only nodded as the tears came flowing.
- He probably never told you or any other of us about his condition......because he did not want you to worry about him........That he did not want you to stop smiling......Mei said after a stunningly long time of silence.
Al looked.
- That sounds like.......He cared more about us then himself. And even when he probably felt his heart falling him, he probably hid them so that we wouldn't have to worry about him......Alphonse said quivering, trying to hold back his tears.
He looked at his brother.
- I don't think he smiles because he had to leave us........Alphonse said afetr a while and then just slumped together, Mei and their children coming to his side.
- But why.......He could have still told us........Alphonse sobbed under his breath.
Edwin remained silent.
Edwin looked at his father.
The fire in his eyes nearly set him ablaze.
The next thing he said broke everyone's heart.
- You’re a terrible father.....dad. Edwin said holding back a sob as it continued to rain.
- DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT ABOUT HIM!!!!!!EDWARD LOVED US ALL EQUALLY!!!!!!!Winry roared at her oldest son, her rage and fury blazing higher than even the fire within his eyes.
Then it was gone.
- Then why........Then why did he leave us.........Why did he have to leave.........Why did he leave.......Me....?Edwin asked, not turning around to face his sobbing mother as he just fell to his knees without another word.
- He did not want to leave.....He did not choose to leave........He tried to stop it......He couldn't..........He couldn't........The metal that earned him his title took his heart..........And it took him away from us......Mei sobbed under Alphonse supporting gaze as he placed a hand on her shacking shoulders.
- You didn't take him away from us..........Nor did his automail......He didn't kill himself.......Neither of you killed him........Time killed him.........Time inevitably kills everyone.........Even thou his time was short, he did more in his time then we can hardly understand........Time takes its toll on everyone......No one can escape it.........No one......Not even......My brother.....Alphonse said trying to sound strong, but the further along he went, the quieter his voice became. In the end, a darkness hung over him as he slumped together.
- How can you.....how can you say that with such a straight face Uncle Al........You are speaking about our father and your own brother.......And yet you say........You say it like it is natural..........Nina said and faced her uncle from her father's side, rivers running.
- Because.......it is.......It may have been a sickness, but time took the first Trisha, it just helped her on the way. Time took our father.......And now........It has taken brother.....Alphonse said and tried to look up, but as soon as he meet everyone's eyes, he slumped together again.
- Brother may be gone...........but..........but he is still with us........in the time we shared together with him.........in our memories..........Alphonse said, his voice sounding almost hollow and metalic.
Mei, Winry, Riza and Roy looked at up that.
It almost sounded like Alphonse was back in the armor.
Roy sighted and tried to hold back the overflowing emotions.
It was hard to try and contain his raging emotions behind a cold and emotionless front.
Riza knew more than well that he was trying to hold it up, but she too was failing at keeping her own emotions in check.
Their children looked at the group and then their own parents.
- Should we leave? Maya asked, almost too afraid to ask.
- And leave them without anyone to support themselves on? Riza stated sharply at her daughter and then looked at the mourning familiy.
- No. Roy answered coldly. Everyone looked at him.
Everyone.
That was the voice Roy usually used when he was in the darkest corners of his mind.
- If we leave them now, history might repeat itself. Roy asked and then sent a look to Edward's left leg before looking at Alphonse who gasped lightly.
- If we leave them now, they will be all alone.....And that is when they need who they love the most.......If we stay, they are not alone.Roy said and looked directly at the younger Elrics.
His look was serious, stern and cold.
Alphonse, Winry and Mei nodded.
Roy sighted and walked up to Edward.
- Fullmetal......Your wife is weeping while you are smiling. And we are asking ourselves.....Why? Why are you smiling? Why are you smiling about dying? Last time I checked with you, death was the last thing on your mind. Roy said sternly, but he tried to sound determined.
Winry looked up at him and Edward.
- You're right Fuhrer........Edward has always been about life and living. He always has been. Maybe he is smiling for having lived such a good life? He even thanked Truth himself every morning he woke up....Ever since we last visited Xing and that was last year ago......He was always happy to be alive and for being able to live in this world.....And for having such caring family........You're right Roy........He isn't smiling because he had to leave us.....He is smiling because he knew that he had lived a good life. Winry said, the darkness finally leaving her.
Everyone looked up at her, Roy and then Edward.
The darkness leaved all of them.
The fire calmed down, but it spread to everyone.
- Edward........I wonder.........Your family was what you lived for and was your pride.......Yet you are smiling knowing that we were coming......That I was coming.....Roy said softly, even a bit warm.
Riza stood up from her chair.
Alphonse looked at him for a moment.
- Brother may not have stated it openly to you.......but he did care alot about you Roy.....He always did.......As a friend......As family......As the father he never had........Alphonse said softly, the hollow cold gone from his voice.
It was a relif.
- He always lit up in some way whenever you came.....Like your arrival was his own personal highlight of Christmas. Trisha said with many found memories of The Mustang's coming to them.
- Maybe they were.......Maybe he lit up because his best friends finally arrived. That they themselves was his own gift.....Winry said looking at the four Mustangs.
Roy only looked at his former friend.
The next second, Roy just collapsed into a fit of tears and rage.
The mothers and father protected their young ears.
And even thou the words were charged with fire and many foul words, the meaning was the same.
- Why did you never tell me anything!?!Why did you never tell me!!!!????Roy had screamed with some nasty insults smeared around the sentences and a few sentences dedicated about what he did not think of the man smiling in the chair.
The last thing he yelled before his voice was drowned in sorrows was a repeated question.
- WHY ARE YOU SMILLING WHEN YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIY IS WEEPING!!!!!!!??????? Roy had roared before his voice disappeared in rivers of rain.
Riza went to the place where she would always be.
His side.
Maya and Dan hurried to their father's side, trying to calm him.
To give him strength and support.
But what kind of building could stand without any support?
And when Roy finally managed to swallow some of his tears, he looked up and glared at the former state alchemist.
- WHY?!He had growled before blasting through the arms and rising to his feets, his eyes red by tears.
- WHY!?Roy had roared before he noticed the book in the old man's hands and froze.
The second unvoiced question took Roy's voice.
- What is that book he is holding? Roy had asked, his anger and sorrow completely gone and walked up to his old friend and looked down at the black leather book resting beneath his hands.
All of the Elric's answered almost in unison.
- We don't know. The whole Elric family had almost answered in unison.
Roy did not groan, he only sighted. A sad sigh at that.
- What could be more important to Edward Elric that he felt the need to guard it as he left this world? Roy thought out loud as he approached Edward and started to move the hands on the book, trying not to change their positions to much.
Alphonse, Winry and Mei all looked at each other’s before turned to face Roy and answer in unison.
- Probably Alchemy. They all said in unison.
The next second, the book was out of Edward's cold hands and in Roy's warm hands.
He did not even bother to look at the title of the black book and just opened it up on a random page.
The next moment, Roy gasped and the book hit the floor.
Rou staggered backwards and fell to the floor.
In tears.
Everyone looked at Roy before turning to the book.
It was a book filled with memories.
Alphonse went up to the book, closed it and then went back to the sofa, everyone was looking at him, trying to get a good look at the book.
Alphonse turned the book so that the front faced them.
They went silent.
The book's title was written in gold.
And its title was Memories.
The book of the past.
Everyone and everything was silent.
Nobody wanted to break the silence.
They all looked at the man smilling in the chair.
His smile was warm, content, relaxed, calm and had a hint of pride.
Alphonse turned away from his brother and looked at the title once again.
- Memories.......Alphonse repeated before he turned to the first page.
And everyone gasped.
On the first page was an old photo that barely anyone except Winry and Al had seen. Since the rest of the people who would have seen this photo before it was lost to the flames of a burring house were in heaven now.
The first photo was on the opposite side of the cover.
And it was titled The Beginning.
And it was a picture of The First Trisha in a hospital bed, overjoyed, holding a small newborn baby wrapped up in blankets in her arms.
A happy Honheim was besides her, holding the camera.
The date of the picture was Edward's birthday.
The first real page held another picture.
It was titled Brother.
And the picture was once again the first Trisha in a hospital bed, a baby in her arms and a one year old Edward clinging to Hohenheim's chest as they all looked at the tiny Alphonse in his tiny arms.
The children awwed while Alphonse went red with a faint and warm smile on his lips.
And that was only the first two pages.
The next 10 or so pages were filled with about two to four pictures each of Ed and Al as infants and children. All from playing in the backyard......Teasing and playing with Winry to arguing about pointless stuff or even fighting. And apologizing.
A lot of them apologizing to each other’s and a lot of the two of them sleeping.
A picture called You know the answer already showed Ed and Al arguing about something with Winry and it was two pictures in one.
The other one was Ed and Al fighting about something.
Al and Winry remembered just what it was the two were fighting about.
Winry lifted her hand and looked at her ring before looking at her children and then her husband.
Below the picture is said Size really doesn’t matter.
Then there was a picture that Ed had personally reprinted while he kept the original close at hands. The picture sticking out of his right pocket.
The family photo that Hohenheim had held dear.
It had been on the second page and it was all alone on that page.
It was titled Love goes in the family.
Roy and sighted warmly at that.
Then all of a sudden, there was a large gap in time.
But instead, there were pictures of automail blueprints.
And Winry went silent.
- His first......His first automail......Winry had gasped both nostalgically and sorrow filled.
She covered her eyes to hide them from the rain.
Edwin, Trisha, Nina and Maes were all puzzled.
Why did their father need an automail arm when he had a perfectly fine one now?
Al only said that it was a long story.
A story related to the bookshelf the book had been stored in.
Then, there was a picture taken two months after The Promised Day.
Winry crying happy tears over Ed and Al.
The picture on the next page was the three of them all happy and proud with the clear sky and bright sun behind them.
The first had been called Tears of Joy and the second one had been called The Golden Trio. Below the second one it said Without us, you wouldn't be standing here.
The room went quiet.
The children did not understand what that statement meant and Winry only repeated what Al had said.
Roy and Riza did the same.
Then on the next set of almost 15 pages were pictures of Edwards and Winry's wedding and honey moon all over the country.
And of course, of some places were Edward had visited on his journeys before he had married Winry.
Then came a picture well known to many.
A picture of Edward holding a young Edwin in his hands with Winry besides him and Mei, Alphonse and Paniniya standing outside a workshop in Rush Valley.
Edward smiling his proudest and happiest smile.
The picture had no real title, because there were to many of them written down.
One of them was The end of a journey and the start of a new adventure.
On the next page was nine pictures of Winry's pregnancy with Edwin and then the tenth was Ed besides Einry in a hospital bed with baby Edwin in her arms.
Then shortly after came the first months of father and motherhood of the both Edward and Winry.
And then came ten pictures of the journey to Trisha Elric the second.
And soon came the the ten pictures that lead up to Nina Elric.
Then the ten pictures of Sara Elric. And there were very few pictures of her as she had gone at only age 2.
Then came Maes Elric.
There were pictures mixed in-between with Ed being reunited with Al and Mei after their time in Xing.
Al and Mei as doctors and Ed as a scholar and librarian and Winry working with automail.
Then when Al turned to the next page, it was as the years had reset themselves.
Because on the next page was only a paper.
A paper from the fuhrer, King Bradley, giving Edward the title of the state alchemist by the name of Fullmetal.
Roy and Riza came closer.
The next set of pages were filled with newspaper cut outs and photos taken by civilians, a few of them signed by the Fullmetal Alchemist.
All of them was from different missions throughout the years.
Roy, Riza and Alphonse remembered almost every single event in the pictures while all the children just looked at them in amazement.
- Wooooow.......The Elric children had said more than once and sometimes in unison, sometimes only one of them had said it.
- Yeah.....Your father was a great man......And great brother......And a great friend. Roy and Al had answered at different times.
The 2nd to last picture in that set was a picture of Ed helping a malnourished Al to stand in the ruins of the old Central HQ on the promised day.
The children looked at Al and then the picture.
Again and again before asking.
- What happened? The children from all three parts of the familiy had asked and all the adults had just sighted.
- It's a long story. They had all answered.
The next segment was of pictures of Ed and Al in their adult years, taking care of their children, doing their jobs and being themselves.
There was a picture of the military waving goodbye to them when they discharged themselves from the military.
And then came pictures of the many reunions that they had throughout the years.
Roy and Riza had both smiled and laughed.
Then there were some rather embarrassing pictures of Ed and Al.
The most embarrassing was Ed and Al, standing completely naked with the picture cut of right beneath their waist lines.
Ed smiling proudly and triumphant while Al looked down embarrassed and defeated.
The title was about being tall and not short.
And no adult wanted to explain what that meant.
Then came a set of pictures that Al wished that his brother had not kept.
The two of them out on town on drinking nights.
There were first a few pictures of Ed and Al being calm, clinking glasses, drinking and having a good time.
Then came a picture called Edward the angry drunk.
Next to it was a picture titled Alponse the sad drunk.
Then there were a few pictures of them when they were knocked out.
A partially funny and embracing one had been titled Elricrest and it featured the two brothers sleeping in each other’s arms, almost making out.
The next set of pictures were called Hangovers.
And many of them featured Edward in custody.
And below them it said that Edward stayed in that cell for every person he had punched or hurt while he was drunk, even when he had completely sobered up and the hangover was gone.
Winry even explained that whenever Ed and Al had gone out to drink that she was not allow to call the police or anything until two days after their night out.
Quite a few of the pictures were just of Ed sitting alone in the cell.
Both Winry and Alphonse hurried past those pictures until they came to a segment entitled Holidays.
And that was when the painful reality hit them all again and they all looked up and saw the snow outside and Edward sitting in the chair.
Once again, time reset in the pictures and the first few holiday pictures were of Ed and Al's different holidays with their family. Both with and without Hohenheim.
Then there was a gap until Ed was around 18 or 19 were the pictures resumed.
And then of course, the holiday pictures began to fill out with people and family.
A few Christmas pictures proved that Edward really did light up whenever the Mustang's arrived.
And then came the pain filled reality again.
The last holiday picture put into the book, just a few pages left in the book. A mere 2 was the picture taken of the whole family just taken a few months ago.
On Halloween.
Their last Halloween with Edward.
Maes had been dressed up as Selim Bradley, thou they had called the suit Pride.
Alphonse had taken on his military uniform and put an eye patch over his left eye and called himself Wrath even thou he looked like King Bradley.
Winry had been forced to wear some rather open clothes that made her look like Lust.
Edwin had gotten to borrow his father's old clothes and looked like the state alchemist seen earlier in the book.
Nina had made her own dog costume. Something that had made her father and uncle very quiet and somber that day.
Trisha had dressed herself like a fairy.
And just because Edward could, he had dressed himself up as Father.
Mei had become a silly looking dragon with Clara and Mia as the body and tail.
Roy had dressed himself up like Scar and Riza had made herself look like an Ishval.
Dan had become a chibi version of Kimblee and Maya had dressed herself like her mother.
They were all smiling at the camera.
There wasn't a single sign of Edward having a bad heart in any single one of the pictures in the entire book.
Alphonse turned to the last two pages and found that the second to last was the whole family outside of the house during a day of summer.
They were all having fun.
And then they all looked at the last picture in the book.
The picture on the backside of the back of the book.
It was entitled The End and the title below it was...........You make me smile.
There was no picture between those two titles, but the frames for putting a picture there.
Then everyone looked up and saw Edward sitting in the chair.
At the end of his life, smiling.
The words of the second title hung in the air.
Al gently closed the book and looked at his brother.
All sadness and sorrow washed away from his face by all the memories and kind words.
He sighted and fell back into the sofa.
Everyone sighted and breathed out a deep breath.
- I think I understand now..........I think I understand why he is smiling. Alphonse said and then looked at his brother.
A smile formed on his lips.
Everyone looked at him and his brother.
And their smiles.
They were the same.
His reason for smilling.
Alphonse sighted and closed the book in his lap after what had felt like an eternity of silence while it had only been a moment.
Then he closed his eyes, looked down a bit before he sighted, opened his eyes and looked at his brother again.
- I think......I think he is smiling because we are crying. Alphonse said with a warm, honest voice as he continued to look at his brother.
- ALPHONSE ELRIC!!!!!THAT IS A TERRIBLE THING TO SAY ABOUT EDWARD/YOUR BROTHER!!!!!!Both Mei and Winry had roared from both sides of Alphonse, but Alphonse seemed completely untouched bu their roars. While Winry's fury scared the children, she sounded more hurt then anything.
- No......You don't understand.....Alphonse said still completely calmly as he put his elbows on his knees.
- I don't think my brother is smiling because he got to leave this world or because he had to leave us. Even you think it sounds absurd. You only said it because you thought you had not noticed him as he left. Alphonse said calmly and looked towards everyone. He was not blaming or accusing anyone. He himself had thought similarly.
- But that just doesn’t answer it. It goes against almost everything that brother was. And is. Alphonse said as everyone looked at him.
- My brother was a great man. He loved this world. While the world might have been cruel to him, it made him strong and it made him a man loved by many across the whole country. Alphonse said with a sight.
- I think he is smiling because he knew we would cry for him. We all loved him very dearly. He was very close to us all. He is smiling for all the friends he made, for all the promises he kept and for being able to get such a wounderful life that he had before he had to leave it. Alphonse said before he started to look at everyone.
- I think he is smiling for all the fond years he had with you Winry. And even those years and moments you don't think fondly off, he still cared for. They mattered very much to him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have them so close to his heart. He is smiling for all those years of worry and love that you gave him Winry. Alphonse said truthful and warm to Winry who now looked at him with an understanding look before looking at her husband.
Alphonse then looked at Edwin, Trisha, Nina and Maes.
- I think he is smiling because he got to live through the childhood he lost through the eyes of a role he greatly admired. And that he got to bring so many great lives into this world and that he gave the people he had failed a second chance in life and that could be there for the time he could. Alphonse said and then smiled at the four children.
Trisha, Nina and Maes looked a bit confused before they understood what their uncle had said and smiled back.
Edwin smiled again.
Then they all turned to face their father.
Edwin no longer felt bad for his father.
Alphonse turned to face his own family.
- He is smiling because even thou he nearly destroyed my life, he still managed to save it. And that I managed to recover and restore it and that I have lived with all my being ever since he sacrificed such a great deal of his life for me. He is smiling because I no longer need him to watch out for me and that I have my own things to watch over for. He is smiling because just like him, I managed to move on from the past. And that I found the way back to the joys of life after so many years in the cold. Alphonse and looked at his family before they looked towards Edward.
Then Alphonse turned to look at the Mustangs.
- I think he is smiling because of all the great friends he had made throughout the years and the people who loved him throughout the country for all the things he did. He is smiling because he brought happiness to so many other lives and still got enough happiness in his own life to have some to spare. Alphonse said sincerely and honestly.
Roy, Riza, Dan and Maya looked at Edward.
Alphonse turned back to looking at his brother.
- If what you told me is true Mei....Alphonse started.
- It is. Mei reassured.
- .....Then I don't think my brother wanted to leave the world. He wanted to stay. To bring more happiness to the world. But when he couldn't, he left. But knowing that he would be greatly missed. Missed by everyone. Missed by everyone who cared for him and loved him. Alphonse said with a warm fire in his voice and eyes as he spoke.
Alphonse opened the book again and turned up one of the last pictures in the book.
Last year’s Christmas picture.
The placed the book on the table and everyone looked at it.
Everyone that was here now was there back then.
The only difference from the Edward in the picture and the now was that while Edward back then had bandages around his head and was completely out, he was still there with him in spirit.
Alphonse looked up from the picture and soon everyone else did and looked at Edward.
Then back at the picture.
Even thou everyone was worried about his condition and state about the time, they still knew that Edward treasured these pictures they took dearly and that even thou he could not participate directly, he could still be present.
And while his family and Al looked a bit worried and very close to the chair both the unconscious Edward last year and Edward of the now was in, they still smiled so that when Edward would wake up, he could still see that even thou they all worried about him that they were fine.
Everyone looked at Alphonse, the picture and then Edward.
The picture was titled The Greatest Gift.
The secondary title was What more could you possibly wish for?
Alphonse sat back into the sofa again.
He sighted.
- I think this picture is proof enough of why he is smiling. He is smiling because he knew that he could leave us and we would still be alright. There were other people there who cared and we could take care of ourselves without him. For once, he did not need to sacrifice anything to make everything alright. He knew that. Alphonse said calmly and looked at his brother.
- He knew that we would cry for him. He is smiling because he knew we would care for him. He knew that. He died knowing that he was loved and that he would still be loved once he was gone. Alphonse sighted and looked at the picture again.
The Christmas tree was barely visible, but it was clearly visible that that the presents had not been opened yet.
Because of the whole thing that had happened, Edward was the only thing on everyone's mind until he woke up a whole week later.
And when he had seen that picture, he had smiled and cried.
Then everyone had opened their presents once he was awake again. Because it had just not felt right to not have him there when they opened them.
Alphonse glanced at the picture, then at the whole book itself as it laid open on the table. Then at his brother, still smiling. And then at the Christmas tree.
Then Alphonse jumped to his feet’s.
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Comments: 12
Thanks.
Thou the story itself isn't very cheerful by now.
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So yeah.
Edward is dead and now ever has started ti figure out why he is smiling.
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I appreciate your kind comments and your fave.
Thanks, I worked really hard on this and I really thought long about it all so that it all would make sense.
All arguments and counter arguments were all both easy and hard to make.
I almost cracked my head to figure out how the characters would react, reason and what they would say. Aswell as giving the children some personality's.
And that last thing you said, that is the Fullmetal Alchemist story in a nutshell. So by hearing that, I would say that I managed to hit the spot.
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Thanks.
I am glad that you approve of the name choices.
Writting some of the segments in this story nearly mad me cry as well.
But those moments, both the gifts and the book, those.......both made me feel really warm inside while it also made my heart cry.
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I have a whole lot of different stories planned actually.
Most about the children and some other possibilities.
I have a series of one-shots called Sacrifice planned aswell as the story behind Edwin,Trisha and Nina's photos. Maes is getting one to, but I am unsure if I should do the story in the photo or the moment Maes remembered about his father. Their little father and son moments.
And I am planning to also do the story of the christmas where Edward was knocked out.
Aswell as two role reversal stories.
One were Al is the state alchemist and Ed is the armor.
And one were the sins are alchemists and those who helped bring them down are. (No Pride!Ed, Pride is reserved to someone else)
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Thanks for telling me that, I recently found most of the manga and all of Brotherhood at my local gift store, so thanks for homing me in on the earlier volumes.
And don't worry, I am looking forward to writting that story aswell. And ofcourse, Winry's reasons for even throwing the wrench that knock's him out cold for a whole week is rather......Special. Edward should really learn to watch his tounge at times.
Okay then, thanks for that, that made me settle down with the decision of making Maes memory of his father be the night he snuck into his father's study.
I couldn't have said it better myself. FMA is an all around great franchise.
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